| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. | 1Now this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from defeating the kings. |
| 2To him also Abraham apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace. | 2Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. In the first place, his name means "king of righteousness," and then he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace." |
| 3Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. | 3He has no father, mother, or genealogy, no birth date recorded for him, nor a date of death. Like the Son of God, he continues to be a priest forever. |
| 4But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder. | 4Just look at how great this man was! Even Abraham—the patriarch himself—gave him a tenth of what he had captured! |
| 5And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham. | 5The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their own brothers, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. |
| 6But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise. | 6But this man, whose descent is not traced from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promises. |
| 7Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, | 7It is beyond dispute that the less important person is blessed by the more important person. |
| 8and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. | 8Mortal men collect tithes, but we are informed by Scripture that Melchizedek keeps on living. |
| 9And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. | 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, |
| 10For he was still in his ancestor Abraham's loins when Melchizedek met him. | 10because Levi was still inside his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. |
| 11So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood--for on that basis the people received the law--what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron's order? | 11Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—for on this basis the people received the Law—what further need would there be to speak of appointing another kind of priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not one according to the order of Aaron? |
| 12For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come as well. | 12When a change in the priesthood takes place, there must also be a change in the Law. |
| 13Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever officiated at the altar. | 13For the person we are talking about belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. |
| 14For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. | 14Furthermore, it is obvious that our Lord was a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe. |
| 15And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, | 15This point is even more obvious in that another priest who is like Melchizedek has appeared |
| 16who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life. | 16who was appointed to be a priest, not on the basis of a genealogical registry, but rather on the power of an indestructible life. |
| 17For here is the testimony about him: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." | 17For it is declared about him, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." |
| 18On the one hand a former command is set aside because it is weak and useless, | 18Indeed, because it was weak and ineffective, the former commandment has been annulled, |
| 19for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. | 19since the Law made nothing perfect, and a better hope is presented, by which we approach God. |
| 20And since this was not done without a sworn affirmation--for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, | 20Now none of this happened without an oath. Others became priests without any oath, |
| 21but Jesus did so with a sworn affirmation by the one who said to him, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever'"-- | 21but Jesus became a priest with an oath when God told him, "The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever." |
| 22accordingly Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. | 22In this way, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. |
| 23And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office, | 23There have been many priests, since each one of them had to stop serving in office when he died. |
| 24but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. | 24But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. |
| 25So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. | 25Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him. |
| 26For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. | 26We need such a high priest—one who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. |
| 27He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. | 27He has no need to offer sacrifices every day like high priests do, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he sacrificed himself. |
| 28For the law appoints as high priests men subject to weakness, but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever. | 28For the Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promised oath, which came after the Law, results in a Son who is eternally perfect. |
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